Heckel Discus

A wild discus with nine dark vertical bars, three of them much stronger: one through the eye, a thick one across the middle of the body, and one at the base of the tail.

The heavy middle bar is the mark to look for. Many fish sold as wild are captive-bred, so ask where a fish was collected. Discus with very similar genes are sold under different names, and one seller's name may not match another's, so judge a fish by its pattern, body colour, pepper (fine black speckling) and eye colour.

Sexes are hard to tell apart by eye. Mature males may be larger with a broader head, but the breeding tubes and spawning behaviour are more reliable.

Keep a group of at least five or six in a tall, mature tank with excellent filtration, calm flow, open feeding space and vertical cover. Quarantine all new fish.

A calm, shoaling cichlid that can become shy, bullied or underfed in too small a group.

Groups form a pecking order. Pairs separate to spawn and may need their own breeding tank.

Breeding pairs defend a vertical surface and the area around it. Outside breeding, aggression is mainly social ranking.

Use calm, warm-water tankmates that do not nip fins or take all the food. Small fish and shrimp may be eaten.

Wild Heckels need soft, acidic blackwater, and they do not last on plain dechlorinated tap water.

An omnivore that does well on varied pellets and frozen foods.

Feed several small meals a day, and remove uneaten food quickly in warm water.

Pairs lay on vertical surfaces. Both parents guard the eggs and produce a skin mucus that feeds the fry for about their first four weeks.